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SO, IS TECH FOR ME?
The highs (and lows) of the tech industry There is a lot of good things about working in technology, especially in this vibrant digital age. However, as with most things, there exists a dark side to tech. You won’t be adequately prepared to start working in this field until you know what to expect from the best it has to offer, as well as from the worst. LET’S START WITH THE ‘GOOD’! Tech is cool! This is probably one of the most compelling reasons to pursue a career in tech. Whether you’re developing a cuttingedge mobile phone application or coding for a famous company like Facebook, there’s no denying that tech has the ‘cool’ factor. If you’re lucky, you won’t even have to feign interest in your daily tasks because they’ll be intrinsically fascinating. Tech is a great career for people who love gadgets, technology and thinking about the future of computing. It’s a fast-growing industry According to the Australian Trade and Investments Commission, Australia’s tech market is worth nearly A$100 billion, making it the fifth largest market in the Asia-Pacific region and the 14th largest in the world. Importantly, the
industry is growing faster than Australian universities can produce new tech professionals. In other words, talented tech graduates will be in high demand and can reasonably expect to find themselves in stimulating positions at organisations poised to continue growing. The pay can be great In 2016, Seek Australia reported that the average salary for an Australian employee was $80,196. By contrast, the average salary for tech professionals was $101,273. Even more promisingly, the average salary for employees coming from a mathematics, statistics and information sciences background had grown by 12 per cent from 2015, amounting to $106,970. All of this means that graduates recruited into tech positions can look forward to being well-remunerated for their efforts, as they progress in their careers. Of course, salaries will vary depending on role, seniority and type of company, so keep that in mind. There are great perks Top companies offer their employees excellent benefits, including free fitness classes and meals, paid sabbaticals,
